Pneumatically-operated lubricator



v 1,621,975 Mareh 1927 J. E. ERSKINE PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED LUBRICATOR Filed Dec. 29, 1924 VACUUM Z4 1:

I flgwiumu I 41 00.5 7 V m 2 lik 7 2'5 0 WITNESSES INVENTOR M Jamsfll'l'nfh iyq ATTORNEYS Patente at. 22, 1927.

PATEN JAMES EDISON ERSKINE, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

PNEUMATICALLY-OPERATED LUBRICATOR.

Application filed December 29, 1924. Serial No. 758,683.

This invention relates to improvements in lubri'cators, and it consists of the constructions, combinations and arrangements hereindescribed and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a lubricator having an oil plunger which is operable by a fluid, either by virtue of the compression or exhaustlon thereof, to deliver a quantity of oil to the bearing and at a stated time. 7

Another object of the invention 15 to provide a lubricator of such a character that a plurality of the lubricators can be connected together in series and simultaneously operated at a central point by a selected medium controllable at the central point, said medium including fluids either under pressure or in a state 0 exhaustion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lubricating system having the characteristics previously stated in a general way, there bein a central control which is either manually operable or capable of operation at measured periods by mechanical means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lubricator which may be fitted upon bearings in practicall any conceivable position and yet be rea y to supply oil when delivery is required.

Other objects and advantages appear in the following specification reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a diagramillustrating how a number of lubricators are mechanically controllable at a central point, use being made of a vacuum tank as the operating medium,

Figure 2 is a sectional-view illustrating the internal mechanism of one of the lubricators.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2 illustrating the inlet tube and the mounting upon which it both swings and turns.

Figure 4 is a detail front elevation of the swinging inlet tube.

Figure 5 is a detail front elevation of the rotatable hub upon which the tube swings.

Figure 6 is 'a detail perspective view of the rotatable hub.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the hub illus- 9 rating the spring spider by which the swinging inlet tube is frictionally held upon its mounting.

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of the screw 'by which the vacuum tube connector 1S fastened upon the lubricator cover. Figure 9 1s a fragmentary sectional view on the order of- Figure 2 but illustrating that modification wherein the diaphragm is actuated by fluid ressure. It may be state by way of preface, that the purpose of the invention is to supply oil or any other suitable lubricant to a plurality of bearings, the arrangement -,being such that upon touching abutton at a central point, all of the lubricators' are made 1 to operate simultaneously and thus instantly supply all of the bearings. One of the foremost uses suggested by alubricating system of this character is in connection with a motorrvehicle where the capability of simultaneously supplying all of the bearing points with oil by the pressing of a button at a central point is of peculiar value.

Attention is first directed to the lubrica tor itself. It comprises an oil cup 1 havmg an upstanding pipe 2 and a depending threaded nipple 3, both of which are shown integral with the bottom of the cup but in practice may be formed otherwise. The nipple 1s externally threaded to permit sci-clung the oil cup in place -upon the bearmg A cover 5 is screwed at 6 or otherwisefixed upon the oil cup to provide a closure. Screwmg the coverin place is preferable but Is not necessarily adopted. A diaphragm 7 is clamped atthe periphery between the edge of the cup and the asket 8 when fitting t cover in place there y dividing the cup into two chambers. The lower one of these is the 011 chamber, because it contains the oil, and

the upper one may be known as the vacuum chamber because it is by the exhaustion of air from this chamber that the diaphragm makes a movement by virtue of the interior a1r pressure on the opposite side. A plunger 9 is secured to the dlaphragm at 10, and the no foregoing movement of the diaphragm obviously results in a corresponding movement of the plunger.

A connector 11 has oppositely extending and headed extensions 12 to which tubes 13 and 14 are attached thereby forming part of a line which is known as the vacuum line be cause an exhaustion of air occurs through it. The connector has a bore l5running straight through from end to end but communicates with a hole 16 which is occupied by the screw 17. I

1 cover 5. It also provides a swivel for the connector, an appropriate loosening of the screw permitting swinging the connector around into the most advantageous position so that unnecessarily sharp bends in the vacuum line may be avoided. For these purposes the tip only of the screw is threaded at 18. It is this threaded tip that screws in'the cover 5. The rest of the screw is perfectly smooth and it is upon the smooth shank of the screw that the connector 11- can turn when the screw is loosened.

A central duct 19 has communication through an opening 20 with an annular. groove 21 upon the shank of the screw, these provisions offering communication between the vacuum chamber and vacuum line at all radial positions of the connector 11. A slot or passage 22 at one side of the bore 23 in -the pipe 2 permits the flow of oil from the oil chamber 24 in the hub 25 to the space beyond the free end of the plunger 9. The

plunger works in the bore 23. The diatube 31 insures the gravitation of the tube to phragm 7 has tension of its own, and that tension is so regulated that the plunger 9 is normally kept in the outward position (Fig. 2) speaking in reference to the slot 22 and the oil cup 1. The outer end of the slot 22 falls short of the end of the plunger, it being intended that the end of the slot shall be normally covered to interrupt communication between the interior of the oil cup and the aforesaid space beyond the plunger. This space may be called the discharge chamber for purposes of designation.

The hub 25 is rotatable upon the pipe 2, the end of the pipe being reduced to provide an annular'shoulder 26 for the purpose of supporting the hub. The extremity of the reduction is upset at 27 to retain the hub. A port 28 provides communication between the chamber 24 and the-slot 22. The hub 25 has a boss 29 (Figs. 3, 5 and 6) at one side against which the head 30 of the inlet tube ill works, the head being held in place by a spring spider 32.

A pin 33 provides the pivotal support for the tube 31. This pinis suitably mounted upon the boss 29. After the tube 31 and spring 32 are in place, the end of the tube is upset to provide a head 34 to keep the parts in place. The boss 29 has a number of openings 35 through'which communication between the tube and the oil chamber 24 1s established. These openings may be in the nature of the arcuate slots shown.

A weight 36 on the extremity of the inlet the vertical position. in Figure 2 the tube is shown off at one side merely for the purpose of illustration. In practice the tube will hang down straight (Fig. 7 the tension of the spring 32 being suitable to perunit the necessary swinging motion of the I. mamas tube yet hold the head 30 in contact with the boss 29. A ball check valve 37 may be employed at the extremity of the tube 31. A pin 38 keeps the ball from rolling back in the tube. The ball normally seats *by gravity and is intended to prevent the expulsion of any oil from the tube 31 during the period that the end of plunger 9 travels toward the end oit-the slot 22 while in the uncovered position.

Oil is injected into the cup 1 through a check valve including a cage 39 having a seat 40 against which the ball 41' is pressed by a spring 42. The spring seats against an inturned portion 43 of the valve cage. The seat 40 is made conical. Upon insertion of the nozzle of a filling'instrument the ball 41 is pushed aside permitting the injection of the 'oil into the cup.

A ball check valve 44 (Fig. 2) tends to close the dischar e chamber, mentioned before, the ball being seated by a spring 45 against a ring 46 which is forced in position in the bore 23. A somewhat similar ring 47 provides a seat for the spring. An inward movement of the plunger 9 tends to rare the atmosphere in the discharge chain er so that the uncovering of the slot 22 is accompanied by the receipt of oil from the slot. A subsequent outward movement of the plunger imposes a continuous pressure upon the oil in the discharge chamber, feeding the oil gradually to the bearing.

Figure 9 illustrates a modification by which a slightly difi'erent mode of operation is obtained. The diaphragm 7 is clamped in place at the periphery of the bore but is now reversed in position. All of the associated parts are identical with those in Fig ure 2, and the same reference numerals are therefore used without repeating the description. The hose line is now intended to be connected with a source of fluid pressure so that the admission of fluid under pressure into the chamber above the diaphragm 7 will cause the diaphragm to move downward and forcibly expel the oil in the discharge chamber. The diii'erence is this: -in Figure 2 the expulsion of oil is gradual, depending upon the gradual return of the diaphragm 7 to the normal concaved position. while in Figure 9 the expulsion is sudden under the impulse of a charge of pressure fluid against the diaphragm 7.

Provision for the central control a plurality of lubricators is shown in Figure 1 The button 48 is capable of either manual or mechanical depression. The shank 49 carries a valve plug 50 which has a duct 5] establishing eemmunication between the nip 1 pies 52 when the button is pressed. is intended that button shall be pressed as far as it will go in the housing 53. The duct 51 will momentarily register with tie nippies and then pass beyond. The 54 located somewhere else,

returns the button when pressure is released, causing a second registration of the'duct 5] with the nipples. Two pneumatic impulses will therefore occur.

In the specific instance illustrated in Fig. 1 the foregoing pneumatic impulsewill produce thelifting of the diaphragm 7 (Fig. 2) by virtue of the communication of the vacuum tank 55 with the vacuum line 13-14. Incase that the pressure method (Fig. 9)

is used, the line of tubing will lead to a pressure tank instead of to a vacuum tank. The operation of the button 48 will be the same as now.

In order to illustrate one mode of mechanical operation of the button 48 Fig. 1 shows a shaft 56 carrying a cam 57 which is int-ended to periodically depress the button. The cam shaft carries a gear 58 which is turned by a worm 59 on a speedometer or other shaft 60. The gear ratios may be as great as desired, resulting in a very slow movement of the shaft 56 and a resulting long period between depressions of the button 48.

The operation is as follows: The button 48 is preferably mounted upon the instrument board of the motor vehicle, presupposing that the lubricating system is installed upon a motor vehicle. The button may be but it is intended to represent a central point of control. The button may be depressed either by the finger of the operator, or some suitable mechanical means, for example as shown in Figure 1, may be employed for depression of the button at stated intervals. In the first instance a lubricatin operation will occur when the operator so esires, but in the other instance a lubricating operation will occur when the vehicle has traveled a given number of miles.

A line of tubing connects all of the lubricators embraced by the system. The lubricators are pneumatically controlled, it being either the evacuation of air from one side of the plunger diaphragm or the pressure of air upon the diaphragm that causes an oiling operation.

U on depression of the button 48 (Fig. 1) the iaphragm 7 (Fig. 2) will be caused to rise. The ball check valve 41 will be loose enough upon its seat to permit the entrance of a certain amount of air into the oil cup 1. As soon as communication occurs between the vacuum tank and the chamber at the upper side of the diaphragm 7 the pressure below the diaphragm will so far exceed that above that there will follow an upward bending of the diaphragm with a corresponding inward movement of the plunger 9.

This inward movement of the plunger rareiies the atmosphere in the discharge chamber beneath the free end thereof, and as soon as the adjacent end of the slot 22 is uncovered there will be an inrush of oil from the chamber 24. Upon release of the button 48 the plunger 9 will slowly return to its former position, and in doing so will gradually force out the oil, previously introduced, past the ball check 44 and out into the bearing. of the plunger 9 isgradual due to the resistance of the bearings.

Oil is supplied to the chamber 24 regardless of the position at which the oil cup 1 is screwed into the bearing, In Figurel the oil cup. at the left is screwed into a hearing at an angle. The inlet tube 31 will always gravitate to the vertical position so that the end of the tube will always hang where thereis most oil. This swinging feature of the inlet tube. 31. insures the sup ply of oil to the chamber 24 and the discharge chamber for a long time, it being necessary to replenish the cup 1 from time to time.

It must be borne in mind that the inlet tube 1 is eapable not only of swinging upon the pivot 33 but it is also capable of turning upon the pipe 2 with the rotatable hub 25. The rotating feature of the hub 25 is necessary to carry out the fore oing purpose of The outward or return motion having the tube 31 always ang into the oil regardless of the position that the cup 1 may assume.

While the construction and arrangement of the improved lubricator is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

1. A lubricating system comprising a plurality of lubricators, each i ncludin a lubricant discharge chamber, a con uit by which all the lubricators are connected, a control by the operation of which pneumatic impulses are produced in said lubricators through said conduit, means in each lubricator comprising a resilient diaphragm adapted to be flexed by said pneumatic impulses, and means operated by flexure of the diaphragm to admit a charge of oil to the discharge chamber for subsequent expulsion by the reaction of said diaphragm at the termination of the pneumatic impulse.

2. A lubricating system comprising a plurality of lubricators each having an individual lubricant supply and a lubricantdis charge chamber, a diaphragm situated in the lubricator, a conduit so connecting all of the lubricators as to place all of the spaces at one side of the diaphragms in communication, a central control by operation of which pneumatic impulses are produced in .said spaces to flex thediaphragms, and a plunger carried by each diaphragm and operated by flexure of the diaphragms to admit a charge ofiubricant to the discharge chambers for subsequent expulsion by the reaction of the diaphragms at the termination of the pneumatic impulse.

8. A lubricator comprising an oil cup having a pipe with an oil passage and an inlet port, an inlet tube, a hub rotatably mounted upon the pipe and having a chamber with which said port communicates, a boss on.the hub having openings leading into the chamber, means by which the tube is swingably mounted upon the boss, and means imposing tension upon the swinging tube.

4. A lubricator comprising an oil cup having a pipe with an oil passage and an inlet port, an inlet tube, a hub rotatably mounted upon the pipe and having a, chamber with which said port communicates, a boss on the hub having openings leading into the chamber, means by which the tube is swing-ably mounted upon the boss, means applying tento the vertical position upon its swingable mounting.

5. A lubricating system comprising a plurality of lubricators, each including a lubricant discharge chamber, a conduit by which all the lubricators are connected, a control by the operation of which pneumatic in1- pulses are produced in said lubricators through said conduit, means in each lubricator comprising a resilient diaphragm adapted to be actuated by said pneumatic impulses, and means operated by actuation of the diaphragm to admit and expel charges of oil to and from the discharge tihamber.

JAMES EDISON EBSKINE. 

